Redemption

Chapter Fifteen

Finishing her glass of orange juice, Danni made sure not to get lost in her thoughts again. She had to leave, herself, before she was late for work. She made sure she had everything she needed before she pulled her jacket over her shoulders and opened the door. She was surprised when she saw someone at the door. They'd been ready to knock, but she'd opened it before they'd gotten the chance.

Her eyes went wide in shock as they set upon the two people in front of her. They were the last persons in the world she ever expected to find at her doorstep. She looked from one to the other to make sure she was actually seeing them, but there were really there. "Daddy? Mom?"

Nicholas Talbot and his wife, Charlene, stood before her. He had a wide smile on is face but she wasn't so enthusiastic. She looked like she'd been forced into this meeting and it seemed like she wanted to leave as soon as the door opened. Most likely, Nicholas had forced her to be civil, because he wanted to see his baby girl and he didn't seem disappointed.

"Danielle," he said as he wrapped her in a loving embrace. "You look wonderful." It had been years since he'd seen his daughter as well and he'd never seen her look more beautiful. She looked so happy, too.

"So do you," she replied with tears clouding her vision. It was unbelievable how her wish had come true. Both her mother and father had come to see her and it couldn't have come at a better time. She pulled away from her father and looked into her mother's light blue eyes. She still stood in the doorway as was looking around the apartment as if trying to find someway to find it unsuitable. The problem was that she couldn't. Danni had been renting it since she moved to DC and it was in one of the nicest neighborhoods the city had to offer. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it, considering the building was basically brand new.

"You have a very lovely apartment," was all Charlene said. She made sure to avoid her daughter's gaze because she didn't want to be there, yet she continued to feel her eyes upon her. She glanced at the young woman and gave a surprised expression. She hadn't taken a good look at her appearance when the door opened and now that she had, she was certainly surprised.

Danni usually wore the same clothing combination everyday. She had to be fashionable, yet practical and that showed in her white blouse, black blazer and matching dress slacks. She certainly looked professional. Charlene couldn't deny it. "Why are you so dressed up?"

The girl rolled her eyes at the comment as she checked her watch. "Actually, I'm running late for work." She picked up her keys to signal that she had to leave at that very moment if she was to be on time. She was trying to head toward the door, but her mother continued to block her exit. "How about I walk you guys out?"

Nicholas agreed, but his wife gave a loud sniff of censure. She was wondering why Danni was so eager to get rid of them and what dead-end job she was going to that couldn't wait. Of course, then she couldn't help but wonder how she could afford the apartment with such a job. So, she asked.

A loud groan escaped the detective as she continued to try to usher her parents room the apartment. With one final motion, though, she finally succeeded. She closed and locked the door behind them as she hurried them down the stairs. She refused to answer her mother's question, because she would only get more upset, so instead she danced around it. "I make enough," was all she said as she opened the front door for them and watched them file out. Neither of her parents knew that she had become a police officer. Her mother would have found it unsuitable, because she'd always wanted Danni to be a woman in the business world. Yet, that wasn't what Danni had wanted at all and now she was doing so much good. If only that stubborn woman would get it through her skull.

"What does that mean?"

With a sigh of exasperation, Danni turned to face her mother. "It means that I would love to sit down and talk to you two, but I'm going to be late. I have a lot to do today, because I was sick yesterday. I have to catch up on everything I've missed and that's going to take me a while… Why don't you stop by later tonight? I'm sure there's still some dessert in the freezer from the other night and we would love to have you stop by." She saw her father nod and that was all the answer she needed. She climbed into her car and waved at them before she stared it and pulled out onto the street.

Nicholas stared at his wife for a moment before she turned to look at him. "What?"

"You didn't have to be so rude," he answered. "She's our baby girl and she's trying her best to make a life for herself. Can't you see she's trying to forget her past?"

With an uncaring shrug, she said, "She looks like a waitress." She began to walk ahead of him before she stopped and turned to look at him with a puzzled expression. "What do you think she meant when she said that "we would love to have you stop by"?"

He only shrugged as he followed alongside his wife. Whatever his daughter meant, he just hoped she was happy. That was all he'd ever wished for her. He hadn't received an e-mail from her, lately, though that wasn't unusual. She regularly explained how she was happy, but he might not have believed it. She never gave a reason why. To his knowledge, there was no one special in her life, which he always wanted for her. All his little girl deserved was to love and be loved in return. Of course, maybe he just wasn't reading between the lines as closely as he used to.